Explode
by Things in Ink
Summary: It's crazy how a single event can make the world seem to explode. Rating may change.
1. Chapter 1

_What happened?_

Natara blinked open her eyes to a blindingly white room, which she quickly recognized as a hospital bed. Suddenly, memories flooded back to her in a rush. There was a call to the SFPD, with a bomb threat. The captain sent had sent her and Mal to check out the building. It was a library. They were in the process of getting everybody out of the building to search for a bomb. Had they gotten everyone out? Natara couldn't remember.

Her head started to hurt. As she reached up to touch her temple, she could feel a thick bandage on her forehead.

Mal had said that they should split up. She reluctantly agreed and they took off in opposite directions. She ran down a hallway lined with doors to offices. There was a shout and she started running back the way she came.

A nurse entered the room. "Oh, good, you're up," she said, writing something on her clipboard.

"What happened?" asked Natara.

"You were in a building when a bomb went off. A piece of glass from the explosion cut your forehead, and you will probably be a little bruised from the impact, but other than that, you'll be fine. Your partner shielded you from most of the debris."

The full memory came to Natara. The bomb was in the other side of the library. Mal had told her to get out of the building as fast as she could. She ran with Mal close beside her. She could remember the smell of smoke in the air and ringing in her ears. There was heat all around. That was when she blacked out.

Suddenly, something clicked in her brain. "Is Mal okay?" She tried to push herself out of bed, but started to feel the pain of her bruises and settled back down.

The nurse looked away for a second, but that was all it took for Natara to read the look in her eyes. It couldn't mean anything good.

**Hello! This is a new idea for a story I had. This is just the prologue, so it's pretty short. I'm really excited about this! Please review and tell me your thoughts!**


	2. Chapter 2

**This chapter is also a bit short, sorry! I'm kind of building up to everything else! Please review.**

_The nurse looked away for a second, but that was all it took for Natara to read the look in her eyes. It couldn't mean anything good._

"Mal is in a critical condition. Like I said before, he protected you from the brunt of the impact. There were several shards of glass embedded into his chest..."

Natara was only half paying attention. She didn't want to hear the details of how Mal was hurt. He risked his life for her. She couldn't get it out of her head.

"...Main issue is that there he has lost a lot of blood, mainly from a deep cut..."

He could die.

"...one more operation..."

It would be her fault.

"...dangerous..."

She honestly didn't know if she would be able to live with that.

"...very weak, but you can see him."

Natara's head snapped up. "Is he awake?" The nurse nodded.

"Would you like to see him?" Wasn't it obvious?

"Of course."

Minutes later, she was in a wheelchair and being pushed to Mal's room, despite her argument that she was perfectly able to move herself. When the nurse opened the door, Natara's heart sank. He was lying on the bed, connected to tubes and machines that were giving him blood and fluids. Despite being awake, he looked exhausted. "Oh, Mal," she whispered. She was pushed next to his bedside, and the nurse stood outside the door to give them a bit of privacy.

"Hey, Nat." His voice was wavering and he sounded like he was about to cry. Natara took his hand.

"You're okay."

He almost laughed. "I wouldn't say that."

Natara frowned. "Hey. Don't talk like that."

"It's true. You heard what the doctor said. It's bad."

"Stop. You'll be fine."

"Okay. I love you, you know."

"I know. I love you, too."

"I don't say it enough. I love you so much and I never tell you. Why does it take almost dying for me to say that?" He sighed.

"Mal, it's okay. I know how much you love me. You risked your life for mine. That means so much more to me than just saying 'I love you.'" He smiled at that. "Stay alive for me, okay?"

He smiled sadly in response but didn't answer. After a while, he said, "Right now, it's only these machines keeping me alive. The last operation is dangerous. Even the slightest mistake, and

-"

Natara cut him off. "I know. You'll be okay." She bent over the bed as far as she could sitting in the wheelchair and kissed Mal's cheek.

A doctor slowly opened the door. "I'm sorry to interrupt, but it's time for the final operation. You're going to have to leave, ma'am." Natara nodded and pressed Mal's hand to her lips.

"I love you."

"I love you, too."

-CoD-

Natara couldn't convince the nurse to let her go into the waiting area, so she was escorted back to her own room. More people came in to wish her well than she felt like counting, and almost all of them said they would be waiting to hear the results of the final operation on Mal. She was anxious the whole time, nervously waiting for what felt like forever, until finally, a doctor reentered the room.

"Miss Williams, are you Mr. Fallon's partner?"

"Yes, how is he?" She tried to sound relaxed, but she couldn't fight the tone of urgency in her voice.

"I'm extremely sorry that this cannot be happier news."

No.

"I'm afraid your partner didn't make it."

No. This couldn't be happening.

"Despite our efforts to save him, he died on the table."

**I'm going to be killed for this, I swear. Sorry, guys, it fits the story. I'm as sad as you are. It's okay to yell at me! And also, I am aware I used the word "operation" a lot of times. Sorry!**


	3. Chapter 3

**Hi everyone! I'm sorry to say that I will not be updating this story any more. Thanks to everyone who has been reading!**


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